A Normal Day
by lilkawa
Summary: Arthur wears a disguise in order to enjoy a normal day in Camelot
1. Chapter 1

_Merlin_ doesn't belong to me.

**A Normal Day**

"Are you sure you'll be fine on your own?" Tom asked. "I don't really have to go."

"I'll be fine," Guinevere replied. "I'm not a child anymore and besides Elyan just lives across the street."

"There is that," Tom agreed. "So, I'll see you in a week."

She watched her father get in his car and drive off. The TV was on in the sitting room and as usual there was something about the Royal family. Arthur Pendragon had returned from some trip somewhere. As she watched she saw him smile as the camera and wave and then he joined his cousin Merlin and they entered the Castle together.

Gwen switched off the TV and opened her laptop and began to type. She had a column, _Guinevere's Givens_ that run weekly in _The Camelot Gazer_, to finish and submit.

000

"Are you sure about this?"

"Of course I'm not sure," was Arthur's frustrated response to his friend's question. "But there's no going back now."

"Not unless you want Morgana to call you a coward."

Arthur laughed weakly at Merlin's attempt at humour and taking a deep breath adjusted his black hoodie and began to jog slowly.

000

It had taken a lot of planning and not a few lies but finally Arthur had been able to convince Uther to let him take part in the meetings of the five Kingdoms that were to take place at the smaller Castle at Fyrien. Fyrien had been built almost thirteen centuries earlier when the rulers of Camelot liked to live near the water; when they had moved to the Castle in the city the Fyrien Castle had become a holiday retreat or a place to hold special meetings like the one for the five Kingdoms.

"I'm glad you were able to convince Arthur to join you," Ygraine told Uther.

"I didn't even have to ask him," Uther replied, "he asked to join the meeting."

Ygraine smiled at Uther wondering what their son was really up to. Arthur was a responsible son, he did exactly was expected of him and never got into any trouble which was a relief because the same couldn't be said of Morgana.

"What's the point, Mother?" Morgana had asked Ygraine a number of times. "It's not like I'll ever rule Camelot. There's no point in my pretending to be nice and diplomatic."

Morgana had gotten into a number of scrapes which had all been dutifully covered by the press and she was known as the Rebel Princess, a title which she seemed to like very much.

"You're not twenty anymore," Ygraine reminded her daughter.

"I know," Morgana smiled. "I'm over twenty-five, which means I can do whatever I want."

Ygraine had said nothing in response to that because it was true. Morgana was an adult and she could do whatever she wanted. Ygraine only wished that her antics were not so well covered in the Press.

000

"Arthur, what's this I hear about you going to Fyrien?" Ygraine asked him.

Arthur had never been able to lie to his mother and he didn't bother to do so now.

"I'm not really going to Fyrien." He said.

"And why does your father seem to think you are?"

"I might have sort of led him to think I was," Arthur replied.

"But?"

"Mother, I just need some time alone," Arthur replied. "Time to myself, if everyone believes that I have gone with Father to Fyrien no one will be looking for me in Camelot and maybe, just maybe, I can take a walk downtown without cameras taking pictures of me and reporting about everything I say and do."

"You want to take a walk downtown?" Ygraine asked. "That's all?"

"Well…"

"Arthur," Ygraine told him, "you can't go to all the trouble of ditching your bodyguards and the press just to take a walk downtown."

"Now, that's what I'm talking about." Morgana walked into the room.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's wrong to listen in on other people's conversations?" Arthur asked her.

"They did," Morgana replied, "I just ignored them."

"What do you want?"

"To help you, brother," Morgana smiled at him. "I think you need all the help you can get." Arthur rolled his eyes at her while Ygraine just smiled at them.

"You know in _Guinevere's Givens_ last week she wrote that if you want res…"

"Not that newspaper thing again," Arthur interrupted her. "What's with you and that Guinevere anyway?"

"She's great," Morgana assured him.

"If you say so."

000

"Mother is going to take care of Father," Morgana told Arthur, "but I will take of you."

"How?" Arthur was very wary.

"Ditching the bodyguards is child's play," Morgana told him, "Anyone with half a brain can do it and you have me to take care of that but you'll need a disguise."

"No."

"Yes," Morgana told him, "otherwise you'll be recognised at once."

"Okay, fine," Arthur conceded. He hadn't thought about that, at all.

"And money for a taxi or a train ticket or a bus ticket because you want to blend in."

"Fine."

"And a place to stay."

"For what?"

"Arthur, when you leave the Castle you need a place to change," Morgana told him.

"Why?"

"You'll see."

000

Three days before the meeting of the five kingdoms Morgana bought Arthur a wig and some clothes and padding and make-up. "You have to change your appearance," she told him when he complained, "even the way you walk and talk."

She got him a fake ID and a disposable phone, "because you can't use your real phone when you're undercover", and some money. "You never know you may actually find someone to hang out with you," she'd told him.

They practiced in Morgana's room until she was satisfied that he could fool anybody.

000

"Merlin will go with you through the tunnels," Morgana said. "And then close them off after you've gone through."

"And then you're on your own." Merlin smiled at his friend.

"We'll be here to keep the deception alive," Morgana assured him. "No one will ever know. Unless you tell the reporters yourself."

Arthur didn't voice it aloud but he really wished that Merlin was going to be out there in the world with him. But as Morgana had pointed out it would blow their plan apart if the Prince's cousin and best friend was seen walking around town without him. "And besides," she reminded him, "you said you wanted some time alone, to be normal, you certainly won't get that with Merlin around."

000

Merlin smiled at his friend and walked back into the tunnels shutting the doors behind him. Arthur looked around him, took a deep breath, adjusted his black hoodie and began to jog.

A few minutes later Arthur was smiling at other joggers as he went past, it was going to be a great day after all; he could feel it.

Thud!

He didn't see the person running into him until he knocked her down. "Sorry, I'm sorry," he apologised getting on knees to help her up. The padding made it difficult to kneel but eventually he managed it and helped her up.

"It's fine," the woman replied. He led her to a nearby bench and they sat down. She looked vaguely familiar and he wondered if he'd ever seen her at the Castle for one of the numerous functions that were held there. He had finally convinced himself that that was where he had met her when it hit him it was Guinevere from those _Guinevere's Givens_ articles. Of all the people in the park he could run into he had run into a journalist; a journalist who had written about the Cancer Ward dedication function at which he'd been the chief guest a few weeks ago – a journalist who was sure would be able to see through his wig, padding and make-up. He had to get away from her as soon as he could.

000


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

When Morgana had first suggested the padding to give him a few extra pounds around his middle, Arthur had balked at the very idea but she'd made him wear it and he'd had to jog on the spot in her room for a half an hour while wearing it, to get used to it. The black jogging outfit complete with black sneakers was very different from what Arthur usually wore that even just looking at it made him think he was a totally different person. But it was the wig – the wig of black curly hair – that really gave him pause. It was wild and long enough that it could hold it back in a ponytail but Morgana strongly advised him against it. "You need to make sure your eyes are hidden, since you're too cowardly to wear contact lenses."

Arthur had tried on the lenses but his eyes had hurt so much and they had watered so much he had refused to wear them deciding instead to go without changing his eyes. Surely, he had thought to himself, he wasn't going to run into anyone who could recognise him. He certainly hoped so.

"I'll have some clothes delivered to your hotel room," Morgana told him. "So you won't have to carry anything with you when you leave."

"I hope you've chosen clothes I can actually wear."

"Don't worry, brother dear," she assured. "It will be nothing like you've ever thought of wearing, but you'll like it."

000

Gwen allowed herself to be led to the bench and she sat down. She tested her ankle and knew that it wasn't really hurt; she would sit down for a few minutes and continue her run. She had to get her five miles every morning otherwise she couldn't properly function, or so she had told herself for the past two years.

She looked at the man who had knocked her down; he seemed very uncomfortable, she could tell that he didn't want to be there on the bench with her but instead of making an excuse, after all he could clearly see that she was fine, and leaving, he sat with her and waited in silence.

000

Arthur stared at the ground infront of him. He needed to get up and leave; she was fine after all and he had plans for the day that didn't include sitting on a park bench with a journalist. He needed to make his way to the hotel and change.

He had finally made up his mind; he would turn in her general direction, say a few words to the effect that he could see that she was fine and that he had to go and leave her.

"It's a nice morning, isn't it?" a voice interrupted them.

Arthur and Guinevere both turned to see a man, an old man, with a long white hair neatly combed, wearing a maroon coat over a charcoal suit, smiling at them. He was holding a black hat in one hand and a walking stick in another.

"Fine weather, we're enjoying, isn't it?" he continued when neither of them said a word. "I hope you were not hurt too badly when you fell, my dear."

"No, no, of course not," Gwen answered.

"I saw this young man run into you," the man added, "but I was too far to be of any help."

"I am fine, really," Gwen assured him, "I was just catching my breath but I'll soon be on my way."

"I know," the man said, "I've seen you run in this park every morning since I came into town almost a week ago."

Gwen didn't know what to say to that so she just smiled at the man.

"But you, son," the man turned to Arthur, "I must say I'm quite surprised to see you here and dressed like that too."

Arthur turned a pleading gaze on the man and when he would have spoken Gwen said, "What? Do you two know each other?"

"No, no," the man replied. "This is the first time this fine young man and I have ever met."

"Yes," Arthur said. "And it is also the first time I have had the pleasure of running through this park."

"I'm sure it is," the man agreed. "And if you don't mind my impudence, maybe Miss Guinevere here would be willing to show you around this great city today."

"How do you know my name?" Gwen asked him.

"I'm sorry," the man apologised. "I'd recognise you anywhere. I hope I don't seem like a stalker of some sort, but I am a great fan of your work. Your article is about the only thing I read in The _Gazer_."

"Thank you," Gwen smiled at him.

"I am Gaius Benton," the man introduced himself to them. "But please call me Gaius."

Arthur realized that they were both staring at him, waiting for him to introduce himself. He had not thought he would be thanking Morgana for her fake ID idea and making him use that name for the past three days. "I'm …uhm…Pete. Peter Townsend."

"Really?" Gaius stared at him hard.

"Nice to meet you Peter," Gwen told him.

"I really must be on my way," Arthur said standing up.

"Wait," Gwen told him, "I'm sure you're busy and have tons to do today but maybe you can join me for breakfast. You too, Gaius."

"No, no," Arthur said. "I have to go."

Gaius smiled at Gwen. "I'd love to join you for breakfast. Peter, it will only take a few minutes of your time. Please say you'll join us and there's a nice little place we've been going to for the last few days that's not so far from here. I'm sure you'll like it."

Arthur agreed and the three of them walked to the café for breakfast.

000

"So where are you from?" Gwen asked them as they drank their tea.

"I'm from Easton actually," Gaius said, "my wife Alice and I are retired school teachers, we're in town for the week seeing the sights and having a grand old time. We're actually going back home tomorrow."

"We're keeping you from her," Gwen said at once. "I should have thought about that."

"No," Gaius said at once. "Alice left quite early this morning, she took the train to Lester with some friends, I had just seen her off when I saw you in the Park. She won't be back until later this evening."

"Great," Gwen enthused. "I'm quite free today so I can really show you around. What do you think Peter; shall we show Gaius around the city today?"

Before Arthur could respond Gwen said, "Oh, I had forgotten, you're not from around here as well. So I guess I'll be showing you two my city today if you have time. Where are you from Peter?"

"Acton." Arthur replied. He remembered Morgana's words. "If by some rare chance you are asked," Morgana had told him. "Remember, you're Pete, Peter Townsend from Acton. You are writing your master's thesis on historical monuments."

"I've never been there," Gwen told them. "But I hear it's quite lovely."

"Yes, it is," Gaius agreed. "A lovely little town."

"So, is it settled then?" Gwen asked them. "Are we spending the day together?"

Gwen's phone rang and she stood up and went outside to answer it leaving Gaius and Arthur alone at the table. "This is quite some game you are playing Prince Arthur," Gaius told him. "I expected the royal guard to show up in the park but then I remembered hearing that you are supposed to be at meeting of the leaders of the five Kingdoms in Fyrien."

"I do -."

"You don't need to explain," Gaius interrupted him. "You're wearing a disguise; obviously you somehow managed to dupe the royal guard and are now hoping to spend a day undercover in Camelot. I like it."

"Thank you." Arthur told him. "Please explain to Guinevere that I had to leave."

"You're leaving?"

"Yes," Arthur told him. "As you have put it, I donned a disguise to spend some time alone in the city; I can't spend the day with you and Guinevere. What if she recognises me?"

"What if she recognises you?" Gaius asked him.

"She's a journalist." Arthur reminded Gaius. "I can't have a member of the press knowing that I am disguise pretending to be someone else."

"You really think she would tell anyone?"

"I don't know," Arthur replied. "And I can't afford to be wrong."

"Maybe she won't recognise you."

"You did," Arthur reminded him. "How did you anyway?"

"There are quite a number of pictures of you out there," Gaius reminded him. "And your picture is on the front of most of the newspapers today."

"I really have to go." He wondered how many of the people they had passed had recognised him already.

"If you're quite sure," Gaius said, "But at least tell her goodbye, don't just run off like this. Do you really want to spend the day alone? Or are you going back to the Castle now?"

Arthur couldn't go back to the Castle. His return was scheduled for the next morning when he would jog back to the spot where Merlin would be waiting for him; he couldn't just go back now because of he was scared of being recognised. He had finally gotten his day out and he wasn't going to chicken out.

"I have to go to my hotel and change," Arthur told them after breakfast.

"I, also, have to go home first," Gwen agreed. "So, we'll meet by the Tower in, say, half an hour."

"Fine." Arthur and Gaius agreed and the three of them separated.

He was going to have a great day, Arthur thought to himself, and he was going to enjoy it immensely.

000


End file.
